What is the best way to simulate smoke damage on buildings? i am detailing a grain eleavator and i am going to have the smoke damage over the truck entrance and exit.
I’d use weathering powders. You may need to spray the area with Dul-Coat first to give the surface some “tooth” to hold the powder. One nice thing about powder is that you can just wash it off if you don’t like it. Once you’re happy with it, give it another hit of Dul-Coat to seal it. You’ll probably find that the effect is reduced by the second Dul-Coating.
I can’t find the tip in my computer files right now, but a tip from one of the old (Early 1950’s) model mags, can’t remember if it was MR, RMC, or the ancient out of print Model Trains suggested using the smoke from a smokey candle or kerosene lantern. Requires some care not to get the flame or heat too close, but the soot (how much more realistic can you get?) is the real thing, and wipes off for redo probably as easily as weathering powders, and also needs a sealant as well for permanence. (please don’t call OHSA on me for this tip!!)
well there area few ways you can simulate smaoke damage. One is india ink {black} wash and the other is to use Poly scale “grimey Black” paint to simulate it. {the better option}
AS an aside I once called my old steam layout the “Grimey Black and Sooty” railroad. The grimey black paint was my mainstay.
Possibly powders, but to me, this is one of those times where a flat black application with an airbrush would be best. You’ll get the feathered edges and streaks just right.
Crandell
My first choice would be Grimy Black (PollyScale) applied with an air brush. If that’s not in your skill set, use a wash of the same color diluted 8:1.
For much better control and safety, you hold a glass over the candle and allow it to soot up. Turn the glass over and apply the soot w/ a brush. Ther are many other safer methods as alreadyt described though. I perfer the weathering powders as mrB mentioned.
This is a technique you must be very careful with. When I used to fire damage 1/35th armor, I would light a piece of sprue on fire and wave it under the area I wanted smoked. It is very authentic, and with practice you can lay it on as light or thick as you want. You need to work over a concrete or sandy area, as flaming drops of plastic will fall from the sprue. Have a cup of sand or water handy to extinguish the sprue. If you don’t get the effect you want, you can clean it off and try again. You will definitely need to seal it when you are satisfied.
Don
Reading the original post again I wonder if we are talking less about “smoke damage” such as from a fire (which would be very solid and dark) or more likely the staining and discoloration from exhausts, such as one sees at tunnel portals or the doors to diesel engine houses.
If the latter, I’d go with powders. Even a bit of fireplace charred wood, ground up, on an old toothbrush can give just the right effect of being in, rather than on, the hard surface. You don’t want it solid black like you might with true smoke damage
The advantage with structures is that assuming it not handled regularly, you can skip the step of sealing things with dullcoat (which always undoes about 70% of any powder application I have tried) and just reapply if by chance it starts to fade.
Dave Nelson
I’d try powdered charcoal. The best thing to me about that is that unlike paint, it goes on dry so can be washed off it the effect isn’t what you want and you can try again. Also unlike chalk or powders, once you have it the way you want, you can seal it in with a spray of flat finish so it won’t rub off. I use it over the entrances to an enginehouse or roundhouse, tunnel entrances, or on a bridge going over a rail line, to represent smoke from the engines.
Also, do the same “smoke damage” for tunnel portals if you have tunnels.
In the 80’s in MR there was an article about building a fire-damaged building, coincidently a fire extinguisher company or something. I believe it was by Earl Smallshaw. He scratchbuilt the wooden building and then literally set it on fire. Can’t get more realistic than real fire damage - but obviously this requires care and needs to be done in a safe area, NOT the workbench with all sortsof paints and glues that will go up in a flash. And you need water handy to put out the fire before it consumes the entire structure.
–Randy
One other technique that I like to use is to apply a bit of real world chimney soot/creosote with a cotton swab. I just save back a baggie full when doing my annual fireplace cleaning.
I’ve tried this method and it has given the best looking results. You must go VERY VERY SLOWLY though and not get to close to cause paint to blister. I did it in my driveway and it took about 30 passes over the area to create the effect I wanted. KIDS!!! DON’T TRY THIS UNSUPERVISED!!! AND YOU ADULTS WEAR LEATHER GLOVES!!! I’m going to try a cheap candle and see if I can create the same effect. It would probably be a little safer.
You could always set fire to it, after all, half the wooden grain elevators across the praries have burned/blown up etc. over the years…[;)]
ChooChoo Willie
P.s I was a Firefighter for 30 years and spent a lot of hours out there trying to put out elevator fires.